To Keep Them Close
by Rennoc
Summary: Trapped in a jutsu for a thousand years, Naruto awakens to find the world completely different. Even Konoha has been erased from history... But some things never change.Naruto and characters belong to Misashi Kishimoto, but story & plot is my original
1. Back Story: Living Burial

_Back story_

The sheer power unleashed threw Naruto for a loop. Thrown from his feet, he went spiraling through the air, landing yards away and leaving a path of destruction in his wake. He groaned and stumbled to his feet, wavering slightly and catching himself.

"Orochimaru, you bastard," He snarled, voice hinting the appearance of the kyuubi.

"Oh foolish child," Hissed the pale-faced man. "Did you really believe you would, let alone could, kill me without being half dead also?"

"Naruto!" A strained voice came behind them. He turned to see Sakura attempting to rise also and fight. Naruto moved to be at her side, but Orochimaru blocked his path, long tongue slithering past his lips, a completely vile grin on his face.

"Oh no, no, Naruto," He chuckled, brandishing a kunai knife. "I'm your opponent. You challenged me and you won't stray from this fight while I'm still breathing." The ninja licked the blade, golden eyes flicking to the snarling boy. "Unless you want her to die, of course."

Sakura gasped and attempted to run, but Orochimaru was too quick and hurled the knife at her, the blade burying deep into her back. The pink haired ninja fell, the look of shock plastered on her face.

"Sakura!" His voice was just below hysterical as he watched his best friend fall. "No!" Naruto rushed to his friend and his knees crumpled beneath him. He reached out and pulled Sakura into his arms, burying his face against her.

"Naruto..." Sakura's voice breathed slowly and the 16 year old lifted his face to look at her. A trickle of blood trailed down her chin and her usually spirited green eyes were fogged and losing light. "Since it's obvious I'm not going to do it... You have to bring back Sasuke, for everyone back home."

"Don't say that, Sakura!" Naruto said desperately, tears threatening to spill over. "We made a promise to get him back together, right?"

"Naruto," Sakura attempted to laugh, a gentle smile on her lips, but it just came out as a rattling breath. "Please don't get your hopes up. And don't lie to yourself; we both know I'm not going home." She blinked slowly, her breathing became more spaced out and her eyes became distant.

"Sakura..." Naruto blinked and the tears finally fell, spattering on her face.

"That tickles," She giggled, finally her eyes closed and her face took a dreamlike quality. "Naruto, Sasuke, we should get out of the rain!" Then, she fell limp in his arms. Naruto let out a desperate cry and pulled her to his chest, tears trickling down his cheeks as he cried for his fallen companion. Tenderly, he laid her down and stood, hands limp at his sides.

"Oh dear, what will happen now?" Orochimaru said in mock wonder, a smirk pulling at his mouth.

"You're going to die!" A jolt of red chakra pulsed across the ground, and then slowly grew. Naruto whirled, eyes flashing blood red past the tears and fangs bared. He crouched, and then leapt forward, claws reaching for him, when suddenly, something gripped him by the shoulders, restraining his arms. He howled in fury and struggled madly, not taking his gaze from the ninja that murdered his teammate.

"Naruto, stop it, you know this is just what he wants you to do." An indifferent, familiar voice said and automatically, the kyuubi vanished, leaving Naruto in a half-daze.

"Sasuke?" He turned his head as far as he could to look at his old friend.

"Who else, dobe?" He flashed a half-smile, and then let Naruto go.

"Sasuke, Sakura! She..."

"I know, but at least we can go home, for her last wish." He turned slowly and began walking forward. As usual, Naruto fell in behind, slightly in a daze, his mind not comprehending what exactly was happening. But suddenly he paused, a feeling in his stomach that something wasn't right.

Suddenly, Naruto couldn't move, it was as if all function in his limbs had stopped. He glared at Sasuke, clenching his jaw.

"I knew it was too good..." He grunted, trying to fight the jutsu claiming his mobility.

"You will always be the biggest idiot I've ever known, Naruto." Sasuke flashed a cunning smirk and Orochimaru appeared at his side, also smiling.

"I knew the only way to capture you like this was to distract you, and what better way than to kill a comrade, a person you loved?"

"Bastards..." Naruto hissed between his teeth, and then flashed a look at his once-friend. "I'll never forgive you for this Sasuke! I hope your soul rots in Hell next to his!" He spat at the Uchiha, then cast a longing look at Sakura's body, and looked scornfully away from both of them, eyes resting on the walls of the cave.

"So no regrets?" Orochimaru cooed. "That would have made this so much more fun, but oh well, what can you do?" In a flash, he made the appropriate hand signs, calling the name of the jutsu. "Living Burial: Thousand Years of Captivity!"

Crystal slowly began to encase Naruto's body, but he was done struggling. Completely betrayed and the one he had vowed to protect dead. What more was there? As the crystal engulfed his head and he lost consciousness, he thought back to his life when he was 12. All of his fellow ninja, getting stronger for different reasons, but doing it together, he thought of each of them. Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru, TenTen, Neji, Lee, Gaara, Kankouro, Temari. And Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei Gai-sensei, Jiraiya-sensei, Old Man Hokage, Tsunade. In his last few moments, he smiled. The fox-boy had come so far from his lonely days as a child, he had gained the best friends anyone could have, a kindred spirit, and companions that knew him as more than a demon. Of course he had no regrets.

And he slipped into darkness.


	2. Naruto's Strength

That was now more than a thousand years ago. Many times while Naruto was trapped in the crystal, he tried to just give up and stop breathing, but the Kyuubi held too much pride to let that happen and die so easily. So Naruto Lived.

The time before the crystal shattered had been a blur and meant nothing to the boy. How could he manage to care? The girl he loved was dead, his best friend had betrayed him too many times to count now, and he had no way of knowing how the rest of his friends were. Or if they were even still alive.

Finally, after a thousand years, the crystal fell, dropping Naruto to the cool cave floor. For what seemed like days, he just lay there, barely breathing and eyes half closed.

"Get up kit." The fox growled from his prison.

"What's the point? What more is there for me to live for?" Naruto argued without an ounce of any emotion.

"To get out of this cave."

"Why?" He rolled over, as if that would make the kyuubi leave. "There's nothing left of my world. My life."

"Kit," He growled, losing his temper. "You've never given up before, why now? Just because that girl died? Everyone dies eventually, I thought even your thick head could wrap around that!"

"Shut up!" Naruto sat up, snarling. "I should have just died when I had the chance!"

"You're just feeling sorry for yourself."

"I am not, it's just..." Naruto trailed off, dropping his eyes.

"Loneliness? Kit, you were alone your whole life, why now? Why suddenly care if you have anyone?"

"Because I had friends back then!" He threw his hands up against his face, fighting the hot tears that threatened to spill. "And now they're all dead! Just kill me!"

"And you aren't important to yourself?" The demon asked, beginning to prowl in his cage. "Do you really think they'd be happy with you just giving up like that? You don't have anyone else, so why not keep the one thing you have left?"

Naruto knew the kyuubi was right, but that didn't help the pain in his heart. He stayed silent and didn't move, then felt the fox's anger flare.

"If you don't get up in the next three seconds, I will take over your body and make you!"

The boy sighed and rose to his feet, wavering slightly as his unused muscles quivered under his weight. He took a step forward, towards the mouth of the cave, pausing by the scattered remains of his prison. On the floor near it was a large patch of blood, staining the stone permanently.

"Sakura..." Naruto kneeled, running his fingers over it. New tears sprung to his eyes and the hopelessness once again grew in his heart. But a mental push from the kyuubi sent him forward, face dark.

Naruto followed the path as if it were just yesterday he was going in. Everything about this place reminded him of that day, a thousand years ago. "I know why I have to get out of here now... This hurt is about to tear my heart in half."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you this entire time, kit!" The kyuubi growled, pacing in his cage while Naruto continued through the corridor of stone, trying to force the unwanted memories that continued to resurface away. After about an hour of walking, Naruto stopped in front of an obvious cave-in where boulders were piled to the top of the cave.

The ninja's mind raced for a solution and an idea sparked. He took a stance and began to push his chakra into normal circulation. The new energy that flowed through him seemed to wear cobwebs away from his organs and he almost felt normal. The adrenaline rush also gave him heart to face the world, no matter what it was.

"For Sakura," He whispered, and then his voice rose until it echoed through the cavern. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"

There were too many clones to count, but as soon as they appeared, they set to moving the boulders and eventually, a few clones moved one, which set loose a rock slide. Almost all of the clones disappeared, and the few that remained were called back as Naruto made his way across, almost swaggering with pride. A half-smile pulled at his lips as he thought of the days before Sasuke left. Sakura would be fawning over an indifferent Sasuke, who just accomplished some feet on his first try, Kakashi would be in the background, his book in hand, and Naruto would still be struggling with even beginning his task.

He continued walking until he came around a corner where light began to pour in.

"Well done, kit." The kyuubi congratulated him and Naruto bolted into the blinding light, blinked a few times and looked around.

"Oh my God!" A woman screamed. "Call an ambulance!"


	3. New Friends Rediscovered

A/N: Thanks everyone for your reviews, I really appreciate it and it also gives my the ability to get my chapters up sooner Also a little note, I'm going to try and get a new chapter up each day, so keep your eyes open for 'TKTC' Thanks again, so much!

---

Naruto, surprised, looked about. Everyone was staring at him in utter horror. At first he couldn't understand what was going on, and then he caught his reflection in a mirror and gasped at the person looking back at him. His clothes were in tatters, plus a bloodstain covered the entire front of his shirt from where he held Sakura. One of his eyes was bruised and slightly swollen, along with his lip, plus numerous other cuts, scrapes, and gouges all over his body. His usually blonde hair was a dark red color and caked with blood and his hands were also coated in a thin layer of dried blood. How had he not noticed before?

"Kyuubi..." Naruto growled as people rushed around him, all but tackling him to the floor.

"What? I was using what energy I could to keep you alive, obviously you aren't going to die from the injuries and I can't exactly heal you on the spot now that everyone's seen you."

Naruto sighed as paramedics rushed in, grabbing him gently, and put him on a stretcher. As they wheeled him out to the ambulance where a crowd had formed, Naruto scanned through them, almost hoping for a familiar face. He told himself that he was being foolish and was about to throw that hope away when a flash of pink hair wove through the crowd and away.

"Sakura!" Naruto gasped and attempted to sit up when the gentle hand of a paramedic pushed him back down.

"Whoa there," He smiled. "I know you don't feel too hurt, but we have to make sure that you're all right before we let you go back home."

_Home_. That word struck a cord and put Naruto into silence. For a while, at least. Once they put him in the ambulance and started to drive back to the hospital, signs of pain and exhaustion had begun to make themselves known. Every bump sent his body into jolts of pain and he winced. To keep his mind from it, Naruto looked about the ambulance, and then his gaze fell on the two paramedics. He stared intently, almost to the point of awkwardness and suddenly, realization hit him like a blow to the stomach.

"Izumo?" He looked at the familiar face, right eye hidden beneath his hair as always, but a cap on instead of his headband.

"Yes?" He looked slightly perplexed at the boy. He didn't have a nametag on, so how did this stranger know his name? "Do you need something?"

Naruto shook his head and looked at the other. "Kotetsu?" Izumo's comrade turned and Naruto almost smiled. He still had the same dark, spiked hair, but a single bandage across his nose.

"What?" He almost cringed away from the excited blue eyes that stared at him expectantly, almost like a puppy.

"Nothing," Naruto said, lying back down. "I just knew I recognized you from somewhere."

Kotetsu and Izumo looked at each other, and then shrugged as the ambulance suddenly jerked, throwing Naruto slightly and causing him to cry out in pain. That cry sent the two paramedics into a frenzy, searching for painkillers. Izumo found the bottle first but Kotetsu pulled out a small vial and syringe.

"This is a mild sedative, it'll help you sleep." He then pulled out a tourniquet, strapped it to Naruto's arm, quickly found the vein and inserted the needle. Naruto's eyes became heavy as it went to work and he drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep, but also feeling proud for at least two friendly faces and the flash of pink hair from earlier gave him hope that Sakura was out there still. If Izumo and Kotetsu were, why not her?


	4. Remembrance

A/N: I technically don't know hospital terms/protocol, so don't hurt me!

I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, but this story is my own original!

When Naruto awoke, he was blinded by the bright lights and their reflections from numerous objects in the room. He lay beneath thin sheets, and when he attempted to move his head, he found it immobile. Panic flowed through him. He tried moving the rest of his body and found an arm and leg also unmoving, but the others did. "Orochimaru," He growled and continued to struggle. "What the-" That's when he felt something around his throat that kept him from moving. Using is working arm, he poked around to find his arm and leg in casts, and numerous bandages all over his body, including around his skull where his headband should be. Now that he thought about it, where was his headband? Where were his clothes?

"So you're awake?" Came a female voice from the doorway.

"If I didn't have this thing around my neck, I'd look at you," Naruto sneered, recognizing another familiar voice from his past. "Granny Tsunade."

"Oh, so we have a smart mouth in our hospital." She walked forward and the young ninja stared into a pair of fierce brown eyes. "But you don't really seem that smart," Tsunade walked to the side of the bed and pushed a button that lifted Naruto into a sitting position.

She walked to a side counter and picked up a folder, pulling out a few x-rays. She hung them up on a light body and flicked it on. "Actually, it's obvious that you aren't very smart when you look at your x-rays. You have a fractured skull, wrist, and ankle. Not to mention the cracked ribs, concussion, and other various cuts and bruises. What did you do? Fall down ten flights of stairs?"

"N-not exactly," Naruto stuttered, eyes flashing fear. What would she say if he told her the truth?

"Well, what did you do then?" Tsunade cocked a hip, placing a fist on it expectantly.

"I, er, got into a fight."

"That explains some," She bent over, opening a cabinet, pulled out a paper sack, and dug out Naruto's old clothed. The sight of his blood-soaked shirt made him cringe away. "But it doesn't explain how this much blood got on you. Your injuries weren't sever enough to have this much blood on your clothes, and the amount of blood that must have drained out would kill you."

Naruto winced, seeing Sakura's cold face and the blood stain on the cave floor again in his mind. "It was my friend," His voice was barely above a whisper and he refused to look at Tsunade.

"Excuse me?" She walked over, pulling a chair up next to his bed.

"It was my friend," Naruto repeated. "She got hurt and I held her." He looked down at the palms of his hands, remembering the feel of her limp body in his grasp.

"I take it she isn't here anymore?" Her voice was gently and she lightly touched his shoulder, trying to be comforting.

Naruto flinched, and then nodded. "I didn't kill her, if that's what you're thinking." He finally looked at her, eyes flashing, daring her to accuse him.

"I know," Tsunade suddenly embraced him in a tight hug. "I know."

Without knowing why, tears filled his eyes and he buried his face in her neck, weeping, truly weeping, for the first time in a thousand years. He wept for Sakura, for Kakashi-sensei, even for Sasuke. Images of his lost friends flooded his mind and his quiet weeping turned into sobs. There was Hinata, always blushing, Shino in his stoic silence and Kiba with a smart smirk on his face. There was also Ino, always shouting, Shikamaru standing lazily, half asleep, and Choji, as usual, stuffing his face. He also saw Lee with his fierce determination, Neji standing resolutely with TenTen. Tsunade hugged him tighter and eventually, tears of her own appeared, but didn't fall.

They stayed that way for a long time until Naruto's sobs choked back and he couldn't cry anymore tears. Tsunade slowly pulled away, her shoulder soaked and blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Naruto croaked, wiping his wet cheeks of the last traces of his tears. His eyes were red and aching and there was a knot in his throat that he couldn't swallow, but he felt better.

"Don't be," Tsunade whispered, flashing a quivering smile. "I needed that as much as you obviously did." She pressed another button that lay Naruto back down. He breathed slowly, completely exhausted. "Go to sleep, I'll wake you up later to ask more questions for our records." She gently stroked his cheek as he nodded. Slowly, his eyes began to close until he was finally asleep.

Tsunade sat there for a few moments longer until a nurse stuck her head into the room.

"Doctor, you have other patients to tend to."

"Yes, I know, Shizune, I'm coming." She stood and moved to the door, taking one last look at the sleeping boy, dimmed the lights, and slipped out.


	5. What Is Going On?

A/N: Since everyone's been asking how the characters seem to be in the future... Read on and you might find out in this chapter... And you might not learn anything until the next one! evil laughter It actually all depends on if it fits in this chapter/flows with this chapter, so have fun waiting!

I do not own Naruto, but this story is my original

---

Naruto jolted awake, breathing hard. The hints of a dream stirred at the edges of his memory, but no matter how hard he tried to remember, it just slipped further and further away.

"Are you all right? I didn't mean to scare you." Tsunade smiled gently at him, her hand on his shoulder, obviously the one that woke him up. She was sitting in her chair again, a clipboard on her lap and a pen in her other hand.

"It's all right, I just wasn't expecting it." He sat up slowly, allowing the soreness in his body to adjust to his movements. "I take it you're here to ask me questions."

"Of course," She smiled and crossed her legs, adjusting the clipboard on her knees. "Name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki,"

"Age?"

"Sixteen,"

"Birth date,"

"October tenth,"

Address,"

"Uh..." Naruto was caught here. What would he say? Obviously his apartment was gone, how could it have stood for a thousand years?

"Naruto," Tsunade leaned forward, searching his face intently. "Do you have a home?"

He opened his mouth to say something when there was a shout that came from outside the room. Naruto almost sighed in relief from the distraction as Tsunade looked up.

"You can't go in! The doctor's with a patient right now, you'll just have to wait!"

"No, no, it's all right, she won't care if I go in."

Naruto perked up at the second voice. It couldn't be... Could it?

"I'm sure the patient will!"

"And I'm sure they'll forgive me."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I knew he'd appear sometime this morning." What first caught Naruto's attention was the puff of silver hair, side-swept slightly; the easy-going stance and he even recognized the cover of a familiar book in his pocket. They were still in circulation?

"Kakashi!" Naruto shouted and his old teacher turned to look at the one that called his name. When he saw Naruto, something seemed to click and his usually bored-looking eye widened. That's when Naruto noticed that his face mask and head band were replaced by bandages and a gauze eye patch.

"Naruto?"

Now it was Naruto's turn for his eyes to widen. No one else recognized him, but Kakashi did! But what did this mean? Something just wasn't adding up in this equation.

"You know him?" Tsunade stepped forward. "Wait, before you answer that, aren't you supposed to be teaching?"

"That's why I'm here. A lady was getting attacked by a group of feral cats and of course, me being me, I had to..." A glare from Tsunade stopped his lie in its tracks and he trailed off. "Okay, okay," He held up his hands, which were also slightly bandaged. "I was on my way to school when I saw a cat that I thought was hurt, on the side of the road and when I went to help it, it attacked me."

"Actually," She rubbed the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "I don't care why you aren't at school, but I do want to know how you know him. He was found coming out of that cave in the hot springs all beat and bloody."

"Well," Kakashi paused. "He's my cousin's kid and he's been staying with me. Financial problems. And the first night he was here, we started arguing and he ran out." He shot Naruto a look to say 'go with the story if you want to live'.

"Y-yeah," Naruto stumbled slightly, still not completely following what was happening. "I was mad that I had to stay with him, so I ran out, then I met up with a girl that said I could stay with her until things cooled down and while we were walking, we got jumped, she got hurt, and the next thing I knew, I was in that cave."

Tsunade didn't seem entirely convinced, but handed Kakashi the clipboard. "Then finish filling this out and you can take Naruto home, but make sure he stays relaxed and _doesn't run away again_!" And then strode out, slightly slamming the door.

Kakashi quickly finished filling the forms out and laid it on the bed. "Where are your clothes?" He asked, removing Naruto's neck brace.

"In a sack in one of those cabinets," Naruto pointed, slightly behind on what was going on.

Kakashi found it and searched through it. His shirt was beyond trash, but his black tank top and pants weren't too damaged. He tossed them to Naruto along with his sandals. He continued to look through the sack and pulled out Naruto's headband. Kakashi held it for a few moments, and then thrust it into his pocket. He glanced at Naruto, who was still attempting to get dressed and finally noticed the tape on his leg and arm. "I'm going to get you a set of crutches so we can get out of here."

"But Kakashi-" Naruto didn't get to finish as his former teacher, half out the door, cut in.

"I'll tell you on the way back to my apartment." And disappeared.

Naruto finished getting dressed and sat on the edge of the bed, slipping his sandal onto his good foot. "What is going on here?" He spoke to himself. "Izumo, Kotetsu, Tsunade, and Kakashi are all here and practically the same as they were a thousand years ago, but none of them recognized me except Kakashi. Who else is there?"


	6. Let Me See Your Face

A/N: I'm so entirely sorry about this wait; I've been really busy. Kind of, then I lost my muse for writing the fanfic, and THEN I realized a huge loophole in what I had written which threw off everything else I had written, so here's the next chapter. I'm sorry again, don't hate me!

I do not own Naruto, but this story is my original

---

Kakashi unlocked the door to his apartment and swung the door open. It was dark by the time they arrived, since Naruto's injuries had started to act up. And now, as he stepped over the threshold, he was breathing heavily. "I still don't understand why you couldn't have carried me," He gasped, narrowing his eyes and limping past him and dropping into a chair at his table.

"You made it, didn't you?" Kakashi smiled beneath the bandages and flicked on the lights, and walked into the bathroom, looking for something. A few bottles rattled and the faucet turned on, and then off and he returned with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. He placed them in front of Naruto and went into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Naruto said as he popped the pills into his mouth and took a sip of water. As soon as he swallowed, he realized how thirsty he actually was and guzzled down the rest of the glass.

"Well, I don't feel like cooking, so I'll order in, what do you want?" Kakashi refilled his glass and handed it back.

"Ramen," He said after a few large gulps. Kakashi nodded and disappeared in the kitchen for a few moments. During that time, Naruto looked around Kakashi's apartment. It was plain and seemed like he didn't really spend much time there. This life was so distant from his old one. Would he ever get used to life in this era?

"They'll be here in a few minutes, can you last that long?" Kakashi returned and sat down at the table across from Naruto, leaning forward and staring at him intently. "So, what really happened to you?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me what happened to _you_." Naruto also leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. They stared at each other a few moments when Kakashi answered.

"Nothing," Kakashi held up his hands and leaned back again, crossing his arms. He was obviously smiling beneath his bandages. Naruto slapped the tabletop, glaring at Kakashi.

"That's not fair!" He shouted, and Kakashi just chuckled. "It's not funny!"

"But it's the truth."

"Still isn't fair," Naruto mumbled, looking sideways and folded his arms across his chest angrily. "If it really was nothing, you'd take off the bandages."

"Fine, if it's the only way you'll believe--" Kakashi was interrupted as the doorbell rang. "There's your ramen." He stood up, answered the door, thanked and paid the delivery man and came back, taking his place and sliding the bag towards Naruto, who automatically tore into it. "As I was saying," Kakashi eyed Naruto as he slurped the noodles ravenously until they were gone, and then moved on to the second bowl. "If it's the only way you'll believe me, I'll take them off."

Naruto stopped mid-slurp and looked up at Kakashi. "Really," He asked through a mouthful of ramen.

In reply, Kakashi began to unwrap his hands. Naruto swallowed his mouthful and watched with wide eyes. Once they were free, Kakashi flexed his fingers and began unwrapping his face.

Naruto drew in a sharp breath. This would be the first time he saw Kakashi's face! _'Sasuke and Sakura would be so jealous!'_ He thought, and automatically regretted it as a pain shot through his heart.

"Happy?" Kakashi interrupted his reminiscing and Naruto looked up, his aching heart almost stopping. There actually wasn't anything too special about his face, just the fact that he finally knew stunned him.

"Not quite," Naruto said, and then paused. "What about your eye-patch?"

"What? Oh yeah, forgot about that." He quickly removed it, but left his eye closed. This was when Naruto recognized the scar down his cheek.

"Open your eye," Naruto said, almost warily, raising an eyebrow and watching closely. A small, mischievous smile appeared on Kakashi's face. He opened his eye and Naruto had to do a double take at the familiar, red eye.

_'Sharingan?'_ Naruto thought, staring at Kakashi. "But that means..."

"Hello Naruto, Konoha's Number-One Knuckle-headed Ninja."


	7. A Story For the Ages

A/N: So I'm back on the 'To Keep Them Close' Bandwagon, and I hope I didn't lose too many people with my selfish inactiveness. I'm sorry again, and I'm making up for it with more chapters, Yay!

This is when you all yell 'We love you and forgive you!' -cricket noises- Thanks guys.

I do not own Naruto, but this story is my original

---

Kakashi's voice was strange, but even more familiar. Naruto tackled him in two bounds; one included knocking the table over, which spilled Naruto's forgotten ramen on the floor. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"Yes, Naruto, now get off of me." He shoved the excited boy from his chest and looked at the clock, and then at the spilled ramen.

"How did you..." Naruto stood and helped Kakashi to his feet.

"I'll tell you as soon as you clean up your mess."

"Okay," Naruto sighed, picking up the table and looked up to catch a wet sponge right in the face. "Hey!" He peeled it off and was about to shout when he found Kakashi's finger in his face, pointing. Naruto looked at the ramen and snorted. "Oh," And set to work as Kakashi sat down. "Well, are you going to tell me?"

"Yes, I'm trying to remember." He leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin.

"You forgot?" Naruto shouted.

"Just a few pieces, but I remember now." He shifted forward, folding his hands and laid them on the table.

"Hurry up then." Naruto growled and sat at the table, finished mopping up his spilled dinner.

"Okay," Kakashi cleared his throat and looked at Naruto, beginning his tale. "The night you were trapped, someone found Sakura's body at the front gate. Not knowing where you were, they took her to Tsunade's office. As she looked for the mission document, Gai, Lee, Shikamaru, and I were called to her office and she informed us of the exact mission. Something about people disappearing. She showed us Sakura and told us that no one knew where you were.

"We all left to follow your trail that night and by dawn, we were in that cave and found you. For months we tried to break you out, but nothing worked. Eventually, I decided that I would have the same technique done on me and tried to convince Tsunade to do it. Obviously, she wouldn't.

"Every day I would ask her and every day she would say no, until she finally told me of a potion she created that could put someone into a sleep where they wouldn't age or change. I accepted and Gai, who had been listening at the door, burst in, demanding he take it, too. I told him no, but Tsunade thought it would be a good idea for him to come with me.

"The next day, we took the potion and fell asleep for about fifty years less than you. When we awoke, Konoha was gone, replaced by this city. Gai and I realized this and, at first, we just stayed in hiding until we realized, in order to survive, we needed to carve out an existence. I can't remember the exact details, but we went to a college and, sort of ironically, became teachers."

"So," Naruto spoke after a pause, taking everything in. "Gai-sensei is here too?" Kakashi nodded and Naruto fell silent again, still trying to piece everything together. "When will I get to see him?"

"Eventually, once you get into school you will."

"How soon will that be?"

"As soon as you learn to function in this time period and get caught up with what you're supposed to know and learn what you need."

"Do you know how long that will take?"

"Depends," Kakashi shrugged lightly. "It all depends on how much effort you put into learning it all."

"Well," Naruto leaned forward, slapping the table with his hand, the usual glint of a challenge in his eyes. "I'll throw my whole self into learning everything I can. And I bet I'll get it done before the year is over."

"I hope you mean the actual year, because the school year is done next week." Kakashi leaned back, crossing his arms, thinking. "If we work all through summer and every spare moment you have, you're studying, we might have you ready by the second term next year.

"Well then, let's start now!" Naruto leapt to his feet, well, foot since his left one still needed to heal.

"Naruto," Kakashi pointed at the clock, which read 11:35 PM. "You need to rest and I have to teach tomorrow. There's also your clothes... Since tomorrow is Friday, I'll take you shopping when I get home."

Naruto looked down at his ripped and bloody tank top and shorts. Kakashi was right. He couldn't live in these clothes for another day. Not only for the shape they were in, but the memories that would never come back. "That's fine." He suppressed a yawn and looked around. "Where am I sleeping?"

Kakashi stood and went to the hall closet, pulling out a blanket. He walked over to the couch and unceremoniously tossed it on. "Here, until we can get my other room fixed into a bedroom. 'Night." He waved and disappeared into his own room.

"Thanks for finding me, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said quietly and lay down on the couch. He lay on his back, folding his hands beneath his head and thought about the series of events that had taken place since he had been found. It was amazing. That was the only way he could describe it. "Goodnight Kyuubi." He yawned.

"Goodnight Kit."

And Naruto fell asleep.


End file.
